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Science

A new study shows that microscopic barbs allow porcupine quills to slice into flesh easily and stay there stubbornly.

Could Porcupine Quills Help Us Design the Next Hypodermic Needle?

Microscopic barbs allow porcupine quills to slice into flesh easily and stay there stubbornly—qualities that could prove useful in medical applications

In 1921, a miner found Kabwe 1, also called the Broken Hill Skull.

Four Species of Homo You’ve Never Heard Of, Part II

The history of anthropology is littered with many now-defunct hominid species that no longer have a place on the human family tree

A reconstruction of Irritator

I is for Irritator

The name of the long-snouted dinosaur Irritator hints at the troubled history surrounding the spinosaur’s classification

Another medicinal tattoo of the Kayan

Can Tattoos Be Medicinal?

In his travels around the world, anthropologist Lars Krutak has seen many tribal tattoos, including some applied to relieve specific ailments

Did Deinonychus and other “raptors” use their foot claws to restrain prey?

How Did Raptors Use Their Fearsome Toe Claws?

Claw Shapes: A Glimpse Into the Lifestyle of Raptors?

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Quirky Holiday Gift Ideas for Science Nerds

A roundup of unique (if impractical) science gifts, from glass anatomical models to retro adding machines

Part rocking chair, part charging station

10 Gifts to Celebrate Innovation

From glasses that fight jet lag to a plant that waters itself to a rocking chair that fires up the iPad, here are presents no one will forget

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What Prehistoric Reptile Do These Three-foot Claws Belong To?

Claws once thought to belong to a giant turtle turned out to be from one of the weirdest dinosaurs ever found

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The Top 10 Animal Superpowers

So you think Spiderman’s and Catwoman’s special powers are impressive. They’re nothing compared to what these creatures can do

Prehistoric humans correctly depicted the gait of four-legged animals, such as this bull in the famous cave paintings of Lascaux, France, more frequently than modern artists.

Cavemen Were Much Better At Illustrating Animals Than Artists Today

A new study finds that prehistoric humans correctly depicted the gait of four-legged animals much more frequently than modern artists

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Your Cell Phone Could Soon Become Part of a Massive Earthquake Detection System

In the future, your cell phone’s accelerometer could help detect earthquakes

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Scientists Discover Oldest Known Dinosaur

A fragmentary skeleton pins the emergence of dinosaurs more than 10 million years earlier than previously thought

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Nine Gift Ideas For the Science-Loving Art Enthusiast on Your List

Be it a book, movie, calendar or game, these picks are perfect for the hardest-to-shop-for people on your list

A reconstruction of Homo erectus, the first hominid to reach a modern height.

How Death Played a Role in the Evolution of Human Height

A longer life expectancy might have allowed members of the genus Homo to grow taller than earlier australopithecines, researchers propose

The articulated, almost-complete hand of Hagryphus giganteus.

H is for Hagryphus

An articulated hand found in southern Utah complicates the story of North America’s feathery, beaked oviraptorosaurs

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Take Two Pills and Charge Me in the Morning

Health and medical mobile apps are booming. But what happens when they shift from tracking data to diagnosing diseases?

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Sick of Fluorescents? New Technology Provides Flicker-Free Light

A new advance in lighting could soon bring a silent, consistent glow that’s easy on the eyes to an office near you

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UPDATE: Spidernaut Dies at Natural History Museum

After 99 days in space, the museum’s new jumping spider made it only five days before dying of natural causes

Even Legos can be a gift for human evolution enthusiasts.

A Holiday Gift Guide for the Whole Human Family

An offering of books, bumper stickers, artwork and other knickknacks for the hominid enthusiast on your gift list

IQ scores have significantly risen from one generation to the next.

Are You Smarter Than Your Grandfather? Probably Not.

Senility isn’t the answer; IQ scores are increasing with each generation. In a new book, political scientist James Flynn explains why

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